Teaching paediatric transgender care

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of online modules - as stand-alone training - on paediatric transgender-related self-perceived knowledge, objective knowledge, and clinical self-efficacy of learners. We previously evaluated the online modules as part of a larger curriculum that included observation in a paediatric transgender clinic, and assessed change in self-perceived knowledge. Methods: Paediatric interns, psychiatry interns, fourth-year medical students and nurse practitioner students were administered assessments before and after the completion of six online modules focused on medical and psychosocial considerations for transgender youth. The assessments queried learner demographics and transgender clinical exposure. Nine items tested transgender-related objective knowledge. Twenty-four items asked learners to rate self-perceived transgender-specific knowledge (1, not at all knowledgeable; 5, completely knowledgeable). Thirteen self-efficacy items asked learners to rate confidence in their ability to evaluate and counsel these youth (0,not at all confident; 10, completely confident). Overall and subscores were calculated for each domain. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare the pre- and post-module scores. Results: Thirty-six learners were eligible to join the study and 86% (n=31) participated. Among the participants, 90% (n=28) completed both assessments. The median number of transgender patients seen before the curriculum was one, and 10% had past experience in a transgender clinic. Comparing pre- and post-module scores, the overall objective knowledge scores increased from 22 to 56% (p<0.001), self-perceived knowledge scores increased from 1.8 to 3.8 (p<0.001) and self-efficacy scores increased from 3.5 to 7.0 (p<0.001). Discussion: This study suggests that e-learning was an effective stand-alone intervention to enhance transgender-related knowledge and self-efficacy in interdisciplinary learners.